My latest kit build, a SoftRock Ensemble II RX. The SMT components were soldered by utilizing 0.015″ solder and a Hakko 1mm tip. With a 1mm tip and my Hakko FX-888 set at 450 degrees C, the tiny tip provides just enough heat to solder right at the tip with the 0.015″ solder, thereby keeping excess heat to a minimum and the SMT components relatively cool.

A more formidable challenge was getting PowerSDR 2.3.5 working, but a post on the SoftRock40 Yahoo group provided the bottom-line details quite nicely. For those with a keen eye, yes the I and Q jumpers had to be switched for PowerSDR to get LSB and USB correct.